Oppn leader offered to back me as PM, I refused: Nitin Gadkari

Nagpur, Sep 15 : Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that a political leader once offered to support him for the Prime Minister's chair, but he declined the offer saying that he did not nurse that ambition.

"I remember one incident -- I would not name anyone -- that person said if you are going to become Prime Minister, we will support you," Union Minister Gadkari said on Saturday at a journalism awards function here, without specifying when the conversation took place.

"But, I asked why you should support me, and why should I take your support. To become the Prime Minister is not the aim in my life. I am loyal to my conviction and my organisation, and I am not going to compromise for any post because my conviction is foremost for me," the senior BJP leader added.

In his speech, Nitin Gadkari underlined the importance of ethics in both journalism and politics.

Recalling a meeting with a senior CPI functionary, Nitin Gadkari said he told the Communist leader that late A B Bardhan was among the tallest politicians from Nagpur and Vidarbha.

When the leader expressed surprise, saying that Bardhan was an opponent of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Nitin Gadkari said honest opposition should be respected.

"I said one should respect a person who opposes with honesty, because there is honesty in his opposition.... one who opposes with dishonesty deserves no respect," he said.

Comrade Bardhan was faithful to his ideology, and politics as well as journalism now lack such people, he added.

Democracy will be successful only when all four pillars -- judiciary, executive, legislature and media -- follow ethics, the BJP leader further said.